Virtreality
by nisci
Summary: In a world where the boundaries of Reality and Virtual have become almost indistinguishable, the Vigilantes are awarded with a tour of Vongola headquarters after beating the newest virtual reality MMORPG, Tri-ni-ti. However, Vongola Inc. is a company veiled in mysteries, and their Head Game Designer Tsunayoshi Sawada is no exception.
1. Chapter 1

**Virtreality**: Chapter One

* * *

The room was pitch-black, lit only by the artificial lights of computers. Eyes focused on the six holographic displays before him, thoughts and conclusions flitting through his mind as he contemplated the various problems.

Orange-tinted ergonomic glasses were strapped to his head, the lenses resembling a pair of frameless sunglasses.

"Glitch in Continent 1, Area 5-6, west of town 3, Shoichi. Hacker attempting to bypass security, Hibari." His fingers rapidly inputted figures and characters on the mid-air keyboards beneath them. "Issues with equipment and skills, redirect to Arcobaleno." He quickly surveyed the various charts and statistics on the second screen before focusing his attention on the fourth.

"Time to begin designing the newest upgra—" His thoughts were interrupted by the opening of the automatic sliding doors that lead to his main room, programmed to respond only to certain DNA signatures.

"TSUNA-KUN!" A feminine voice pierced through the air.

Tsuna turned his head from his work and lifted his filtering goggles from his face to reveal focused caramel eyes.

"Yes, Kyoko-chan? Have you finished creating the evolved features of the Cooking skill? I would like them by the end of this week, to present to Timoteo-san." The girl shook her head and gestured wildly with her hands.

"No, Tsuna-kun, it's more important than that! A group has finally met the requirements of the contest that's been out for a year now!"

The brunet boy swiveled around in his ergonomic cushioned chair to turn his attention to her temporarily.

"Tell me the group death count."

Kyoko tilted her head, confused at the strange order, but answered steadily. "...One."

The brunette's vivid eyes widened imperceptibly before a small grin curved his mouth.

"Then I suppose they're worth my time after all." He turned back to his work, putting his glasses back on, and placing his sound-proof headphones on his head, signalling that he did not wish to be distracted, no matter what.

Kyoko shook her head and sighed. Really, Tsuna was impossible to pull away from his work when he was in that mode. Still, if he would only listen for a bit, she could inform him that the group, 'Vigilantes', would be arriving at the Vongola Gaming headquarters for the tour tomorrow at 3:00 PM. It was impossible now; those sound-proof headphones had been created by Spanner. She was sure Reborn would tell him later...The orange-haired girl glanced back at Tsuna one last time before turning around and quietly closing the door behind her. He always seemed so far away when he was in that mode, as if he were somewhere she and the others could never reach...A world of his own, where the only things that existed were himself and the current object of his interests.

* * *

In the middle of a dusty desert littered with rocks, six men lay sprawled on the ground, bruised, bloody, and thoroughly exhausted. Quasi-silence pervaded the area until the crossbowman of the team abruptly shattered it.

"Of course, that stupid cow would be the only one to die during the final boss fight." Another brief pause followed, littered only with gasps for air.

A carefree laugh rang out. "Now, now, G! That's the only death registered for our group, so it's fine!" The former was about to snap back an acidic retort when another voice interrupted.

"We...we did it. G, Takeshi, Ryohei, Alaude, Lambo, Chrome...we all did it..." Another silence.

"H-hai, Bossu." The voice came from the far left of Giotto, but he could easily picture the shy, but proud, smile on the delicate one-eyed magician.

"WE BEAT IT TO THE ULTIMATE!" The white-haired cleric of the group exclaimed while tiredly pumping a heavily-bandaged fist in the air.

They lay still on the over-heated desert ground, and Giotto squinted his eyes against the vividly azure heavens, trying to even out his breathing. Part of his mind was still attempting to register the fact that they had finally done it. Finally...

A beam of white light suddenly pierced the space in their midst, stretching from the heavens above to the ground, with the overused sound effect of falling glitter. It disappeared as quickly as it appeared, leaving a single object in it's wake.

"Why the hell did a sheet of paper just appear?!" G tilted his head to the side and glared at the seemingly innocent parchment lying atop the dry soil.

"Probably the message signaling our victory and such," Giotto groaned. Did they have to present it to them like that? Couldn't they let it appear as the usual semi-transparent notification on the outer boundaries of their radius of sight? The game had dulled the sensory pain reception to only 50% of the actual amount, but it still hurt like hell. Especially when they had been fighting the final boss for ten hours straight, and Ryohei's pain healing abilities had been disabled for the entirety of the battle. After the burst of adrenaline wore off once more, he wasn't surprised to find that his muscles ached far too much for him to move off of the sandy ground.

A rustling of clothing next to Giotto alerted him to the movement of one of his teammates.

"Pathetic herbivores," Alaude sneered, "unable to stand up after a simple fight." The leader of the group tilted his head to see his strongest teammate stride over to the paper and pick it up, and silently thanked him. Really, Alaude...even if he tried to deny the truth, it was quite clear from the stumbles in his walk and the shaking of his hands that even he was thoroughly beaten as well. Giotto caught G's slightly awed expression out of the corner of his eye, and mentally chuckled.

As Alaude's fingers brushed the white parchment, a sudden startled cry rang out in the air. Giotto turned to see Lambo standing among them, face contorted in an expression of utter bewilderment, left hand cupped as he had been holding an object. Their surroundings began to fade into white.

New features appeared, not abrupt like the environment changes they had experienced during the boss battle, but gentler. The warm dry sand that had caused the seven to cough and choke so much morphed into cool, damp grass, a vivid emerald-green in color. The sky above them changed from the overbearingly blinding desert blue to a lighter hue, more calm and relaxing in comparison. The details were slowly filled in, like the soft, patient, brushstrokes of a painter. The dry air was revived by the damp, caressing touch of a light, playful breeze. As the chirping of awakened birds filled the air around them, Giotto was reminded once more of the breath-taking beauty that had attracted so many to this particular game. All of the players in the group, sans Lambo who had died and been recovered, let out a relieved sigh as they felt the pain fade away.

"Congratulations, Vigilantes." A calm female voice rang out, easily projecting itself over the natural noises of the new forest environment. "You have beaten Vongola Inc.'s newest VR game out for two years, 'Tri-ni-ti', and the final boss of Mafiati, the final continent. There are still many skills to master, and many secrets to discover, but for now, I will announce the awards for being the first group to clear the first goal of the game." There was a slight pause before she continued.

"Ten million dollars, Vongola skills, a set of Vongola equipment, and a trip to Vongola headquarters to tour the building and meet the head game developer for each of you. There will also be two level-up candies, a double-exp pill, and a mystery gift box found in each of your inventories."

A flash of light illuminated the area once more, before fading to reveal a row of seven envelopes floating in mid-air.

"Each of these letters will be labeled with the name of its respective owner. Inside each is an invitation to the Vongola headquarters. However, please be warned. By opening the letter, you are accepting the invitation, and are authorizing the activation of tracking software installed in your Vongola Gear, along with the sending of your personal information to the headquarters. This is so that the transportation will be able to locate you at your location in reality. You will receive the other items regardless of whether or not you open the letter. Once again, congratulations for winning the First Contest." The message having been delivered, the voice faded away, leaving behind only its muffled echoes.

The troubled silence of contemplation blanketed over the Vigilantes as they pondered their decisions. It was Giotto that spoke out first.

"I'm going. This was my goal from the beginning."

"I will follow Bossu's decision."

"Hnn." Alaude gave a noncommittal grunt.

"VONGOLA IS EXTREME! I will come along as well, TO THE ULTIMATE!" Knuckles exclaimed with vigor.

"...Then the rest of us are going, too," summarized G, who knew that this would eventually happen.

"O-oi, wait—"

Alaude, G, and Giotto shot the one straggler a threatening glare.

"Yare, yare...I...suppose I can come along as well." Lambo chuckled nervously.

An exuberant smile burst across Giotto's face, despite his attempts to hide it under his usual composed mask. Throughout all of their struggles, all of their arguments, all of their battles, these were the people who had stayed with him since the beginning. These were his friends who would stay with him even now. Some of them had met during the half a year they spent together, and others had met long before. Perhaps their paths would diverge in the future, but right now...He could say with all the truthfulness in the world that this moment, this feeling of complete belonging, wasn't something he would trade for anything in the world. Not even for the person he was striving to meet once more. If only because the present was worth than the past to him.

* * *

"Damnit!" cursed G, "when is this stupid ride going to end?"

"It's a private jet," countered Giotto, "considering the distance from Italy to Japan, and the flow of the airways and air currents, the fair weather, and the speed of an average jet, it should be over in about two hours." The blonde-haired teen was reclining in the sofa-seat, red-rimmed resolution glasses designed for reading small print perched on his nose as he immersed himself in a thick, hardcover book. "Besides, there's a HD 18-inch mini-TV right in front of your face if you need something to entertain yourself."

"I had something to entertain myself with, until you stole my book, along with my reading glasses! Why don't you go find something else to entertain yourself with?!"

"That's what friends are for," said Giotto.

"Friends my ass! I bet you aren't even fucking reading it properly! If you're my so-called friend, then why don't you give me my fucking book back!" G's fists tightened as his temper rose to unmeasurable heights. Goddamnit, why did Giotto and the baseball idiot always enjoy picking on him so much!?

"Now, now. What did mother say back when we were kids, and you were always spending time with Shamal? Cursing is bad. Naughty, naughty, G." Not even bothering to glance away from his reading material, the sunset-eyed blonde lifted a finger and waggled it at his friend.

It was at times like this that G wished that he could just choke someone. Anyone. Preferably the goddamn blond idiot sitting not even two feet away to his left, yes, he could reach out and then—

"Hahaha! That looks like fun! Can I join in?" ...And there was the other idiot.

G twisted around in his recliner and narrowed his eyes. His fingers twitched for his crossbow usually strapped on his back before realizing that he was in reality.

Knuckles' snores could be heard in the midst of G and Takeshi's one-sided glaring match. One's face was adorned with a scowl, and the other with a carefree grin.

The plane continued on its path.

Eventually, Giotto shut the book and looked around. Alaude had long since before taken one of the seats directly adjacent to the window, and was staring out at the sky, eyes sharp and face shifting slightly in emotion. He was deep in thought.

Chrome was slumbering against her window, a content smile adorning her face. Giotto wondered what she was dreaming about.

G and Takeshi had fallen asleep sometime after their "staring match", the victor undecided. Ryohei's snores continued to pervade the air.

Giotto turned his thoughts back to his situation. He wondered what Vongola would be like, the place where he was. They had come this far, and though the memories of the hardships they had struggled through lingered in his mind, ghost-like, it had long since become blurred. Tri-ni-ti had been the main focus of his life for so long that right now...he felt lost. What would he do after this? Where would he go after this? After he met him once more, then what could he do? Would that person remember him? Giotto wondered if his friends felt as lost as him. Two hours left...In a whisper, Giotto murmured the name of the one he had been chasing after all of these years.

"...Natsu."

* * *

_Splash!_

Tsuna lifted his head blearily from the ground on which he had fallen asleep, ice cubes tumbling off of his face. Sometime during the early morning, his Hyper mode had worn off, leaving his body exhausted and fingers aching. He had clumsily cleared an area on the floor for him to collapse in, pushing away his scattered notes and designs.

Speaking of the documents...Tsuna moaned in despair at their ruined conditions. Not too far in front of them, he saw a pair of well-polished leather shoes, and he trailed his eyes up to see a smirking, fedora-wearing man. His game manager, also known as Reborn Vongola, having taken the Vongola surname after being adopted by Timoteo-san, the ninth head. He was also Tsuna's (dare he say it) friend, and advisor.

"R-Reborn! What was that for!"

"Time to wake up, Dame-Tsuna. The Vigilantes have been waiting in the first floor in the lounge for ten minutes now for you to guide them around."

Tsuna was silent for a moment before stuttering in realization.

"Y-you did this on purpose, didn't you?! Y-you—" Tsuna was knocked on the head by a flying game controller. He lifted his head and groaned, rubbing the afflicted area. He was constantly amazed that he hadn't gone brain-dead yet, with the rate that his brain cells were being killed off.

"Now, now Dame-Tsuna. I did instruct Kyoko to inform you yesterday, did I not?" Reborn's coal-black eyes were hidden by the brim of his fedora, but the smugness was visible on his face.

"You t-timed it so that she came in while I was in Hyper mode!"

Reborn shrugged, not bothering to deny it. "The more you argue, the more time you waste."

"Reborn, you—urgh! Just hand me a breath mint and let's go."

The fedora-wearing man raised an eyebrow, lifting the previously unnoticed green gun in his right hand threateningly.

"HIIEE! E-er...Ju-just give me a few moments to get ready." Tsuna squeaked in fright and ruffled around in his pockets for a breath mint.

The Vongola manager expressionlessly surveyed his charge, glancing over his choice of attire. You'd think he'd have learned by now. He had to admit though—he was quite amused at the new possibilities crossing his mind.

Reborn turned and proceeded to take effortless strides out of the room. He let a dark smirk curl his lips as the doors silently closed behind him. Time to set the stage for the main character.

* * *

nisci:

-Ahaha...finally took the time to edit this. I don't have the definite plot yet, or a definite conflict; the ideas are sorta forming in my mind as I go. Of course, I'll still have to go back and edit the previous chapters due to the effects of improvisation, but for the most part, they'll stay the same.  
-Since this is my first time writing anything close to sci-fi, does anyone have any suggestions or links to resources/information that I could use? Futuristic technology, holograms, molecular manipulation, time-space relativity, game making, anything that you think would be helpful in writing this story. I never was too good at science. (Why am I writing a sci-fi fanfic then? ...I wanted to try it out. /orz).  
-As for personalities...I've only read up 'till Chapter 200 in the manga, and that was a long time ago, so if anyone is ever out-of-character, then feel free to inform me.  
-I have er...issues with schedules and deadlines (story of my life /aka why I sucked at science), so updates will be at random and when motivation strikes me (stupid motivation, why do you always ditch me when I need you most?!).


	2. Chapter 2

**Virtreality** Chapter 2

* * *

Giotto sat up, back straight, clothes tidied and neat, and listened politely while ignoring Ryohei's background snores.

They were in a circular room with a curved, expensive sofa and a fragile, glass coffee table in front of them. Giotto had politely declined any drinks for his party members; there would be time for that later. The room had a professional atmosphere, looking every inch the room of a high-tech company. The walls were colored a steel-tinted white, and were adorned with a holographic television, three doors (each fancier than the next, with the one in front of him definitely the most advanced looking), and small lines cut into the white, like square-shaped puzzle pieces. The ceiling was a screened dome, with digital letters and numbers running through it. All of this was countered by the fern placed to the top left of the room, and the cups of coffee placed onto the table despite his polite declination.

"Ahhh, he's sooo cute~ But I like him best when he's near Reborn-san! He always has such a cuuute stutter! And his voice!" A doe-eyed Japanese woman with a homely face and short, almost shoulder length brown hair sat in front of him and his party members. Her name tag read Nana Sawada.

"YES! AND HIS EYES!" A Japanese girl that looked about 16, Haru, clasped her hands together under her dimpled cheeks and fluttering eyelashes. The two Japanese _(employees?_ Giotto guessed, _sent to entertain them while they waited?_) were dressed casually, a sharp contrast to the formal clothing he, G, and Alaude had prepared. Lambo wore his usual messy cow-print shirt and pants, and Chrome had let her hair down and had a simple white dress draped over her figure. He couldn't help but wonder about Chrome's situation at home; she had never revealed much about herself to the rest of the team.

Giotto calmly took a sip of tea out of the expensively-decorated porcelain cup and carefully monitored G out of the corner of his left eye. The archer's arms were shaking, meaning that his hands, under the table, were clenched and shaking as well. However amusing it was to see him rage, it was probably best to avoid the resulting scenario considering their current location. Giotto fluidly changed the topic.

"Excuse me, Ma'ams, but could you give me some details on the tour?"

Nana cupped her cheeks and smiled dreamily.

"Ah, is that Italian? My, Giotto-kun, no need to be so formal!"

"HAHI! I thought the whole world spoke English by now!"

It wasn't exactly the topic change he had aimed for, but he supposed discussing a small part of his past would be more bearable for G than two girls, one a full grown woman, squealing over some man whose name he had already forgotten.

"That is correct. However, since the change was only made three decades ago, most of the other languages continue to thrive, and, depending on the region, some have been mixed in the modern English language. There are times when my birth language slips into my everyday speech."

"Hahaha!" Takeshi's friendly laugh caught the attention of the current participants in the conversation.

"It's just like how you guys are using the Japanese honorifics, right? My dad used to do that too!"

"Really? What's his name?" Nana cheerfully inquired.

"Tsuyoshi Yamamoto!" Takeshi proclaimed with a proud smile. Giotto watched as Nana's grip on the small teacup she help loosened little by little, ever so slightly, until it slipped from her fingers and shattered on the tiled floor.

"My, I'm so clumsy today!" Nana gave a sweet smile. "Excuse me, dears." She turned and exited out of one of the three doors in the room, the left 10 o' clock one. Haru followed after her, exclaiming something along the lines of "Haru will help, desu!" A V3 cleaning bot entered the room through the same door the two females had just exited through and began cleaning up the spill.

G snorted, and Giotto knew what he was thinking: _of course they left after Takeshi opened his trap_.

Giotto sighed. He didn't know why G had started harboring such an intense dislike for Takeshi a while back (although he could guess that it involved his younger brother), and had never brought up the subject matter with him.

G opened his mouth, about to start another shouting match, when—

"_Chaos_," greeted a low, baritone voice. Giotto switched his attention form his two about-to-quibble friends to the direction of the voice. It came from the fancy high-tech door located opposite of the simpler one that he and his friends had entered from. The source of the voice could be summarized in three words: tall, dark, and handsome. The type of man that women went crazy for. And dangerous as well. It was hidden, but it was also obvious, in the way the man leaned in the doorway (body poised, as if waiting for the chance to pounce and devour his prey). and the way he tilted his orange-striped (fedora, Giotto remembered the word) down as if to hide the predatory glint in his eyes. The two dark, curly hairs that framed his structured face only added to his memorability. His neatly tailored suit contrasted with the outfits two Vongola employees that had entered before.

The man straightened himself in the doorway, placing his weight evenly on both feet, and casually placed his hands in his pockets, creating a strange mix of relaxed formality.

"I am Reborn, the Vongola Gaming Corporation's Manager." His coal-black eyes raked over them, as if silently identifying their individual weaknesses. There was a visible glint of amusement in his eyes as he scrutinized G.

"As a part of the prize of fulfilling the conditions of the Tri-ni-ti contest, you will be one of the only outsiders to be given a tour of the Vongola Gaming Headquarters, kept at a level of high secrecy. This means, of course, that it would be in your best interests to avoid touching machinery at all costs, lest you die a painful death by electrocution or worse."

Giotto mentally noted to inform the still-sleeping Ryohei of the matters, along with Lambo, who seemed more preoccupied with not wetting his pants at the moment.

"I will not be leading you in the tour. However, one of the guides should be arriving right about...now."

As Reborn finished his words, there was a frenzied shouting from the opened hallway behind him ("HIEEE I'M LATE!"), running noises, and then—_THUMP_.

It was only due to his natural talent at observance that Giotto saw how Reborn had casually stuck the tip of one of his fine leather shoes outwards, and was moving his foot back to its original formal position, as if he hadn't just used it to trip someone.

"Ow..." The figure lifted itself off of the floor, and Giotto realized that it was a boy, looking about the age of twelve or so. The boy had messy brown hair, with an severe case of bedhead. He wore an over-sized white T-shirt with orange printed binary code, so wrinkled that Giotto could safely assume that the boy had lived and slept in in for at least five days straight. But it was his face that Giotto paid the most attention to. If you ignored the heavy eye bags from not getting enough sleep, and the line of drool trailing down his pale, unhealthy skin, then...Giotto could recognize those strangely innocent, chocolate eyes anywhere.

"...Natsu?" he whispered. The boy blinked in confusion.

"Eh? No, my name is..." He was cut.

"Why the fuck are you wearing teddy-bear pattered boxers?!" G demanded. The boy flushed in red-hot embarrassment.

"HIEEE!" The Vigilantes flinched at the shrill, harsh noise.

_He squeals like a prepubescent kid_, G scoffed. _Oh, wait—_

The boy turned and attempted to make a quick get-away through the still-opened high security door, only to be grabbed by the back of his hair.

"Why don't you introduce yourself?" _Or else something very, very bad will happen to you_, added Reborn's menacing aura.

"H-Hai..." The boy gulped.

"U-um...I-I'm...I a-am..." There was a clicking sound, and in front of the Vigilantes, a green gun was whipped out and cocked at the boy's head. The message was clear. _Speak properly or I'll fucking shoot._

Giotto watched in fascination, not worried, for the gun's safety hadn't been disabled. Yet.

"Haha, that's a really cool toy gun!" exclaimed Takeshi. G and Giotto sighed in unified exasperation.

No, they were sure that wasn't just a toy gun, despite its strange, nonthreatening color.

The boy squeezed his eyes shut.

"MY NAME IS TSUNYOSHI SAWADA!" Giotto leaned back in his seat, attempting to dam the rush of disappointment. But they were so alike..._Natsu would look much older by now_, he reminded himself.

"Perhaps you would like to inform them of the role you play in the company?" Reborn questioned in a mockery of patience.

"H-hai. I'm the Lead Game Designer, Tsunayoshi Sawada!" Tsuna gave a deep bow. Reborn sighed.

"If you're the Lead Game Designer of _Vongola Corporation_, then why are you bowing?" He smoothly withdrew his gun and assumed a look of nonchalance. Tsuna hesitatingly opened one eye.

"Vongola Game Manager, as in the genius individual who created the three highly advanced games, no worlds, of Un-ni-ti, Dua-li-ti, and Tri-ni-ti?" G had calmed down from his original state of stunned shock, and had now assumed a tone of disbelief.

"No. I-I only thought them up, it was everyone else who made it possible." Tsuna's face flushed a deeper red.

"Dame-Tsuna, enough with the theatrics," Reborn ordered.

"H-hai!" Reborn turned back to the Vigilantes.

"As you all know, you will be staying here for a total of three months. During this time, you will be given cards that will only grant you access to doors you have clearance for. If you violate any rules, you can be barred from areas you were previously allowed to enter. For now, you will each be given a guide, who will show you around the Headquarters. Dame-Tsuna," Reborn nodded at Giotto,"you'll be showing him around."

"B-but I still have work to do and— ," Tsuna attempted to protest.

"As for the rest of you, your guides will meet you once you go through these doors. Some of you may know your guide very well already..."

"B-but—" Tsuna attempted to protest once again, only to stumble and trip into a heap of rumpled shirt and fluffy hair on the tiled floor. Reborn pretended he hadn't heard.

"Don't forget to change into proper clothing," Reborn smoothly reminded as he turned, waving a goodbye as the automatic door closed behind him. Tsuna gave a frustrated groan in response.

It was at this moment that Ryohei decided to awaken from whatever dream he was having and exclaim "EXTREEMEEE!"

* * *

_nisci:  
_-/Short chapter is short. Sorry. I've lost track of so many ideas for this story...  
-Pronunciation: Un-ni-ti (You-NEE-tEE), Dua-li-ti (Duo-LEE-tEE), Tri-ni-ti (Try-NEE-tEE)

Guest: I decided to add a mix of the 1st gen and 10 gen guardians, because if I added all of them, there'd be too many for me to keep track of. (The Troubles of an Idiot Novice Writer). =.=" Ahaha, I wouldn't exactly call this great work but...thank you. :)

_Thank you to those who followed/favorited this humble little KHR! fanfiction_ (with ambitious aims in terms of plot that will probably never be reached) _of mine. Special thanks to those who reviewed! I'd never known just how much they could motivate a writer until now. :D_


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